Communicating with your pet

Unless your name is Dr Dolittle then of course you aren’t going to be able to actually “talk” with your retriever in plain English, however this doesn’t mean to say that you cannot understand what your dog is trying to tell you and for sure your dog understands basic words that you take the time to teach them and to some extent your body language.

When it comes to what your dog is telling you then it is all about watching their behaviour and the way they move, just as people use facial expressions and their hands when talking and getting a point across, your dog will use their head and of course their tail to help get what they want, how they feel and their point across to their owner. You can also come to understand how they are feeling and what they want through the different barks and whimpers they make, in fact some of these are simple, such as if a stranger walks up the path then your retriever may bark or even growl if he senses danger and this is telling you “hey watch out”. While this is just one example of a way your dog is communicating with you there are many more and with time and understanding it can be like the two of you are having a regular conversation. Your retriever will show you signs of being alert and ready to communicate, whether they want to be left alone, if they are scared, feeling playful or if they are in a bad mood.

Your dog’s stance will tell a lot and if your retriever is feeling playful and wants to rough and tumble with you or chase a stick then he will show this in the body movement. The whole body will appear to be very relaxed and your dog’s ears with flop around freely as they move with no sign of tension, the tail of your retriever will almost be certainly wagging and their mouth will probably be open a little, this is similar to you smiling when you are happy. One of the most common signs that your retriever is in a playful mood is when he goes down onto his belly with front paws outstretched and his rear end stuck up in the air.

If your retriever is feeling very scared then he will be full of tension and probably whimpering quietly with the occasional deep throated growl. He will have his tail tucked between his legs and could even go into what is called the submissive position which is on his back with his legs in the air.

If your retriever is alert and waiting for a response from you then his tail will be wagging slightly, he could be whimpering or whining quietly and almost certainly his head will be moving from side to side in anticipation of what is to come. Communicating with your retriever will take time, it is like getting to know a person and the more time you spend together the easier it will become for you to understand each other and communicate.